A Long Time Coming
by Jedi Kid
Summary: A famous Auror who turned her back on the Ministry is finally coming back to England, but can she put her past with Sirius Black behind her. AU starts near the end of OotP
1. It Begins

Summary: A famous Auror who turned her back on the Ministry is finally coming back to England, but can she put her past with Sirius Black behind her. (AU starts near the end of OotP)  
  
Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all this, I own Ruth, Gen and the Pepsi I drank while writing  
  
A/N: this is my first Harry Potter fan fic so bear with me, feedback extremely welcome  
  
Chapter 1: It Begins

Ruth Dawson sat looking out the window of the airplane at the Atlantic Ocean. It wasn't normal for wizards and witches to travel by plane, but Ruth was far from normal. She wasn't looking forward to being back in England, she would have preferred to remain in Canada but Dumbledore had made it clear that she was needed and remaining where she was wasn't an option. It was a return that she'd been delaying for some time now, for a few reasons but mostly because of Sirius Black. She was still wary that the Ministry would learn of her return and put her on his trail right away taking Kingsley off the case. Personally she was a little surprised that it was taking Kingsley this long to find Black, she's worked with him before and he was extremely efficient.

'I probably should have taken the Defence Against the Dark Art's position at Hogwarts too', she thought, 'it would be a lot better then that Umbridge woman they had now, though my view is probably slightly bias because she made it impossible for Remus to get a job'.

It seemed like a long time since she'd been at Hogwarts, and she wasn't sure if she was looking that forward to returning. Hogwarts was where she'd been set apart from everyone else and it had started her down this path 23 years ago. 'Actually it had started before I went to Hogwarts', she thought, 'even before I got the letter about being a witch. Knowing it's a long plane flight between Canada and England Ruth finds herself thinking back on how exactly she ended up in the situation she was now….

_(A/N: the first bit is going to be flashbacks of Ruth's years at Hogwarts, just to explain stuff, also at this point we switch to her thoughts so it's in first person instead of third person narration like the first bit)_

I'd been a little different from the other kids for as long as I can remember, they always thought I was a little weird and tended to tease me about it, then when I got mad at them strange things happened, which of course made them label me as a freak and got me in more then a little bit of trouble. There was another girl like me at school, she moved in when she was seven and I was six, we were in the same grade but she was born in March and I was born in November, her name's Genevieve, I decided that was too long and took to calling her Gen. I think she was secretly pleased about it since she'd never had a friend before with her older sister like she was. Her sister Sara was one of those girls who is always right in style, the leader of the "in" crowd so to speak. I was nothing like that so Sara tended to make me mad and then strange things would happen. I still believe that Gen's mother tried to get Gen to stop being my friend in an attempt to make her younger daughter "normal" but Gen and I had become an inseparable pair.

Then at the end of July of one summer we both received a note explaining that we were both witches. My first reaction was "hey cool" my mom was slightly less amused. Then a witch visited both Gen's family and mine to explain the situation. See Gen and I both lived in Canada and there wasn't a school for witches and wizards in Canada, so if we were to go to a school for witches and wizards we'd have to either go to the one down in the United Sates or over to the esteemed Hogwarts in England.

My dad immediately said he wanted me to attend school in England, he's originally from England so he had a bit of a bias. Gen's dad thought it was best that "the girls are kept together if they're going to go so far away to school" so Gen got to come with me.

In the last week of August both of us went over to England to visit Diagon Alley to get our school supplies, we were accompanied by the gamekeeper for Hogwarts, Hagrid. He tried to explain the wizarding world to us since we both came from muggle families. I was fascinated, by the whole thing, especially the idea of being able to hex and curse people and the sport of Quiditch – "oh great, another sport for her to play," Gen said when we were first told of it. We also found out about the battle between Lord Voldemort and his death eaters and the rest of the wizarding world. It was then I decided I wanted to be an Auror. As a little kid I'd always imagined myself as some kind of super hero with magical powers who fought all the bad guys in the world, and an Auror was just like my childhood dream come alive.

We found out more about Hogwarts – most importantly the four houses – on the train ride there from a third year student by the name of Lily Evans. Secretly before we'd even arrived at the school I was hoping to be in Griffandor.

To this day the sorting sticks out in my mind, I can't tell you exactly what the hat sung, I was too nervous at the time but I remember the ceremony quite clearly. Especially looking out at all the older students sitting in the hall as Professor McGonagall called out our names:

"Alverson, Craig."

Then after a moments hesitation the hat cried "Huffulpuff."

"Black, Regulus."

I don't even think the hat had touched his head when it screamed "Slytherin." Smiling the dark haired boy headed for the cheering Slytherin table. I probably remember him so well because I'd grow to hate him over the next seven years.

"Burger, Catherine."

"Ravenclaw," the hat screams.

"Dawson, Ruth."

The hat slid down over my eyes so I could no longer see the hall. "Hmmm, plenty of talent here. And ambition too, you might do well in Slytherin."

'I'd rather not,' I thought.

"No, well then you'd be happy in GRIFFANDOR."

I grinned and jogged down to the Griffandor table and took a seat next to Lily. Gen would also be sorted into Griffandor, much to both of our relief.

As dinner started a scruffy looking kid with glasses sitting across from me said to his friend, "I guess you'll be hearing from your mom with your brother in Slytherin and all."

His friend scowled, pushing him black hair out of his blue eyes. "There'll be a howler for me tomorrow morning, I'll bet my life on it."

"What's a howler?" I asked Lily.

"It's a letter of sorts, pretty much who ever sent it voice booms across the hall so it's impossible not to hear it. You send them when you're mad at someone." She paused, "Sirius gets them all the time from his mother so you'll get used to it."

"Why's he get them so often?"

Lilly snorted, "Cause he's a Black, and all Black's are sorted into Slytherin, except him, he ended up in Giffandor. No one knows why. His mother actually came to the school and demanded he get re-sorted. You can't be of course, but it was something else to see. But Giffandor or not, I'd stay clear of him and his friends because they're the biggest gits in the school."

It might have been good if I'd bothered to heed her advice, but that proved to be a little harder then you'd think.

It was the second week of school and already I'd developed a reputation of being able to do anything teachers asked me to do, even in potions with the head of the Slytherin house Professor Tragally. I swear if she could she'd take off house points for me getting my potions perfect. In any case everyone seemed to know who I was, a first year with a little too much talent to be withstood.

This was probably why Regulus tired to curse me at the start of the second week after potions. I say tried because he never got the whole thing out before I put him in the full body bind. I'd only known the kid for a week and a half and already I hated him – not as much as I would, but for only knowing someone a short while it was pretty intense hate. Part of it was because of our first flying lesson that day, Madam Hootch had us flying not too high and not too fast – much to the disgust of Regulus who said he'd been flying his whole life and could fly better than his brother – in any case Gen's afraid of heights so she fainted and had to be taken to the hospital wing. We were told to stay on the ground but Regulus insisted on making fun of Gen calling her a "stupid Mudblood". I had no idea what that meant, but it was an insult and no one insults my friends. In order to escape me he flew up and told me to come get him. I don't back down from challenges like that, so I followed him. I caught him too and dumped him off his broom. End result, we both lost house points, he was sent to the hospital wing and I was sent to the Griffandor common room.

I was there reading when the marauders walk in. Not exactly strange since kids had been trickling in for the last five minutes. However James walks straight over to me.

"Whatcha reading for, I mean you already know everything."

I ignored him trying to focus on the book.

"Actio book," James said pointing his wand at my book, which flew from my hands.

I pulled out my wand and get him with the jelly legs hex, which caused him to fall over. The other kids in the common room laughed, including his three friends.

"You bested the great James Potter," said Sirius sounding amused.

I shrugged and smiled, "Looks that way." Sirius laughed before taking the hex off his friend.

Half the times I saw the marauders around school James and Sirius were hexing a Slytherin boy by the name of Severus Snape, who they called Snivellus, with good reason. I thought it was funny. Gen didn't and tried to stand up for him only to get called a 'Mudblood' by him for her troubles, which really made James and Sirius angry with him. We found out what it means from Lily later, and I was inclined to hate Snivellus too. Gen still seemed to take pity on him though, saying he just needs a friend. Coming from the position of a kid who's always been the butt of everyone's jokes you think I might agree with her, but I didn't.

There wasn't much else of interest that happens in that first year now I look back on it, though Gen and I had fun that summer pretending to practise magic around her sister. If we were allowed to we probably would have hexed her.

Going into my second year my dad gave me enough money for a broomstick and I proceed to win myself the position of chaser on the Giffendor Quiditch team. I was told by Christen (the team captain) that "I'm a lot better then the chaser I'm replacing" and that I "should get the position on seeker after Potter graduates". I told this to Gen who simply said, "just don't get big headed about it".

The thing that made me happy was Regulus didn't make the Slytherin team because they didn't have any openings that year. Though he walked around acting like it was just fine because he was going to get the position of seeker next year when Lucious Malfoy (who was the current seeker, in his seventh year) is gone.

It didn't take long for me to like Malfoy about as much as I liked Regulus. Who ever decided that Malfoy was a good choice for head boy needs his head examined. Unfortunately that's Dumbledore, and Dumbledore, despite his oddities, most certainly does not need his head examined.

Malfoy seemed to have decided that he personally must make life difficult for Sirius, though he had a hard time because you never saw Sirius without James, and hardly ever without Remus or Peter. I succeed in hexing him good once and then we rubbed salt in the wound by clobbering Slytherin in the Quiditch match.

"And you thought he was mad at you after you'd hexed him," said Gen after the match. "He's going to be furious now."

I shrugged, "Not much he can do about the match and as far as hexing him goes I only did it because he was going to hex Sirius from behind."

"So you hex him from behind. How does that make things better?"

I grinned, "He's a Slytherin."

Gen just rolled her eyes.

I'd really grown to like Sirius over the year, he was a really nice guy who I found a lot more tolerable then James. They were both a lot of fun though and caused me to look forward to Quiditch practises. Gen didn't think that much of them though, she actually heeded Lilly's advice and tried to stay away from them. Me I liked troublemakers, to be completely honest I still do.

So there I was at the end of the year, pretty much friends with the marauders who I'd been warned to stay away from (actually I don't think I've really ever heeded anyone's advice in my entire life, if I had I would have a very different life right now). I think the first sign I got that my feelings went deeper then friendship was on the train ride home when I saw Sirius sitting with his arm around a fourth year girl. The amount of jealousy I felt surprised me, after all Sirius and James always seemed to attract a crowd of girls at school.

_A/N: that's all for now, R&R_


	2. The PastThe Future

Chapter 2: The Past/The Future

To my surprise Sirius invaded my thoughts many times over the summer, though I was careful never to mention this to Gen who to this day doesn't think that much of him.

First thing that comes to mind when I think of my third year at Hogwarts is Hogsmade. I remember how hard it was to get Gen's mom to sign her form to let her go, we must have spent about two weeks trying to talk her into it. In the end Gen's dad came home and signed it for her. Gen told me afterwards that her mom was furious about the whole thing.

Something new that year was a couple of the courses we'd be taking, stuff that actually interested us. We'd decided to take care of magical creatures and divination.

"Too bad we can't drop potions though," Gen said.

"It's not that bad."

She snorted, "You only say that because you could run into a table with the ingredients for a potion on it and they'd all fall into the caldron and mix themselves in the right order."

"You have me confused with Snivellus," I replied.

"Don't call him that."

I gave my friend a strange look, "why not?"

"It's mean. He's never done anything to you."

I thought about saying what James always said – 'well he exists, you know' – then thought better of it and went back to the book I was reading.

It seemed like some cruel twist of fate that the first person we saw when we stepped onto platform 9 ¾ was Regulus. He was busy showing his new broomstick to his Slytherin friends.

"The other seekers don't stand a chance, this broom is twice as fast as all theirs."

Something told me twice as fast was a bit of an exaggeration, however I couldn't help saying, "Yeah, well if you attached a pair of hands to it then it could catch the snitch for you."

Regulus spun around to face me, "just you wait mudblood, Griffendor wont know what hit them when we play them."

"The only thing that might hit us," I reply, "is you out of control."

He pulls out his wand as if about to hex me but a woman steps in front of him first, "Ruth Dawson, I presume."

I recognise the voice from somewhere I just can't place it. "That's right."

She smiles but it's not a kind smile, "stay away from my son, unless you want to meet a nasty end."

Well I could finally put a face with the voice that made the great hall tremble every time Sirius got a howler. "Is that a threat?" I asked calmly.

She glared at me.

I smiled a smile containing about as much warmth as Mrs. Blacks. "See you in school, Regulus, where you wont have _mommy_ protecting you." With that I marched towards the train with Gen in tow.

"That was Sirius' mother?" Gen said to me once we're out of earshot. "Jeez she's foul. You shouldn't have made her mad though."

"My life is full of shouldn't haves," I reply lifting my trunk into the back of the train.

Gen just shakes her head as she puts her trunk beside mine.

We wandered through the train trying to find an empty compartment, unfortunately it looked like all of them were full. Secretly I was hoping to find James and Sirius before we found an empty compartment but since Gen didn't think much of them I didn't tell her that.

Eventually we found a compartment that was almost empty save for Snivellus.

"Err, lets go find somewhere else," I muttered.

Gen gave me a withering look and went in and sat down.

'Great', I thought sitting down beside her. Snivellus glanced at us over the top of the book he was reading but other then that didn't move. I considered telling Gen that this wasn't one of her better ideas but had a feeling that it wouldn't do any good and would possibly only get her angry with me. I tilt my head to look at the title of the book Snivellus is reading, a potions book, go figure. I yawned feeling bored and wish I'd thought to bring the book on Aurors I'd just bought with me. I figured I'd be fine just as long as Gen doesn't do something stupid like try to start a conversation with him.

I'd just finished that thought when Gen asks, "What's that you're reading?"

I almost groaned out loud, but settled for banging my head back against the wall of the compartment.

Snivellus looked over the top of his book at her. "It's a book on advanced potions."

"You're good at potions then?"

'Either she doesn't listen to anything Sirius and James say or she's actually trying to have a conversation with him,' I thought. 'Just as long as she doesn't expect me to talk with him'.

"Yes," he said in a tone that suggests he wasn't enjoying the conversation any more then I was.

"Ruth's good at potions."

I glared at my so-called friend.

To his credit Snivellus didn't say anything, he just glanced over at me then went back to his book.

"Will you give it up now?" I asked Gen.

She glared at me then pulled out a book of her own to read.

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling wondering who I offended to get into this situation in the first place.

Things seemed to progressively get worse from the moment I had to spend the trip to the school with Snivellus. Not only did Regulus have a new broom to show off but the entire Slytherin team has new brooms, the exact same model as Regulus.

"My mum got them," Sirius said gloomily. "Regulus was strutting around the house for weeks talking about how Slytherin's going to cream us in Quiditch this year."

"You're families a bunch of gits," said Clyde a seventh year beater and the new team captain.

"Yeah I know."

The change room is dead silent for a long time.

"So what's the plan then?" I ask breaking the silence.

Clyde grunts "find someone who'll give us new brooms."

Sirius' face went deep red. "I can't help what my mother does!"

"Well it certainly doesn't help us."

"Sure it does," I said. Everyone turns to look at me. "The only way the Slytherins got new brooms is if they took Regulus as their seeker and he's not that good. James'll beet him any day and we saw last year how much better we were, new brooms wont make that much of a difference epically since other then mamas boy the teams the exact same."

"She has a point," James agreed.

Clyde sighed running a hand through his hair. "Time to get out and practise."

Sirius didn't perform up to par all of that practise, I know it's not easy on him with all that's happened I just wish there was some way to make him feel better. Though the best way would be to beet the Slytherins.

I think the entire school was there the day of that match. I personally wouldn't have been at all surprised to hear that a fight broke out between Griffendors and Slytherins the tensions were just that high.

The brooms made more of a difference then I'd thought they would have allowing them to intercept many of our passes. It didn't help that Sirius had developed a bad case of nerves and was dropping passes too. Clyde screaming at him to play better didn't help either.

It was the longest game of Quiditch I'd ever played lasting well over an hour. About half way through the game I developed a strategy where I could zigzag through the Slytherins and score. It pulled us ahead by almost a hundred points.

I had the quaffle in my grasp when I saw James dive. Regulus saw him too and dove to catch up. I couldn't watch, I didn't have the time, weaving through the Slytherins I looked for someone to pass to or a path to the hoops. I couldn't find anyone in the open, but I did see an open space, which I darted into. I was just about to throw the quaffle when someone yelled "look out" and a bludger struck me full force in the back knocking me from my broom.

I cursed as I fell then suddenly I felt someone grab me around the waist. I looked over my shoulder to see Sirius with a grim expression on his face.

James had caught the snich and the Griffendor's were going crazy, in fact it seemed like the only people who weren't cheering were the Slytherins.

"Thanks," I said to Sirius once we'd reached the ground.

He shrugged, "at least I did something right today."

"Huh?"

He sighed, "it's my brother that gave the Slytherins their great brooms and my fault the Slytherins got the quaffle so many times 'cause I was playing so lousy."

"You didn't buy the brooms for them," I pointed out. "So I can't blame you for that. But I wont deny you're performance today was less then stellar, so you can remain miserable."

He smiled a little.

"Families suck, just ask Gen, hers isn't as bad as yours but it's pretty bad."

He chuckled, "tell that to Clyde. He's going to kill me for today."

"No he's not, we won. He only would have killed you if we lost."

"Well I hope you're right."

"I'm always right."

He laughed at that, and then again later when I was proven right and said to him, "told you so."

There was a howler for Sirius the next morning, nothing unusual about that. Most of the Griffendors simply put down whatever they were eating and plugged their ears, not that it did much good since Mrs. Black's voice could be heard clearly outside of the great hall.

"MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A BLACK," her voice roared causing the great hall to become completely silent since you couldn't really talk over her anyway. "YOU BRING SHAME ON THE ENTIRE FAMILY. AFTER WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY TO REGULUS IT HAS BECOME CLEAR TO US THAT YOU HAVE STOOPED TO AN ALL TIME LOW EVEN FOR YOU. I NEVER WANT TO LAY EYES ON YOU AGAIN IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU DIDN'T EXIST." With that the howler burst into flame.

Sirius sat there staring at his plate a blank expression on his face. The great hall was completely silent, free of even the murmurs of conversation that normally occurred after Mrs. Blacks howlers.

Then laughter erupted from the Slytherin table.

Suddenly Sirius jumped up and fled from the great hall with the Slytherins jeering after him.

James leapt to his feet with his wand in hand but for once even he didn't seem to know what to do.

Then the laughter stopped. I looked up to the head table to see Dumbledore on his feet, but he wasn't looking at the Slytherins, he was looking past them and through the still open door that Sirius had fled through. Then without a word he simply walked out of the great hall following Sirius' path of flight. James raced after him and Remus, Peter and I followed.

Sirius was sitting down by the lake his face buried against his knees. Dumbledore simply went and sat down beside him. The four of us stopped a ways away, we could hear Dumbledore talking but we couldn't hear the words. After a while he looked back at us and from his look we could tell he wanted us to head back up to the castle.

We joined into the stream of students heading to class. I had transfigeration first which normally I would have enjoyed but I couldn't get the image of don't-mess-with-me-or-you'll-end-up-in-the-hospital-wing Sirius Black who Gen often called a bully sitting down by the lake crying. 'If Gen had seen him like that she'd be less inclined to call him a bully' I thought.

Halfway through the period Dumbledore walked in and spoke quietly with McGonagall.

"Ruth, would you go with the Headmaster please," McGonagall said to me.

I nodded and followed Dumbledore out of the room.

Once the door to the classroom had closed he turned to face me. "You're friends with Sirius."

It wasn't a question but I nodded anyways.

"He needs friends who are going to stand by him these next few years."

"Why do you say that?"

Dumbledore smiled gently. "As you may have noticed he doesn't quite fit in, shall we say, with the rest of his family. I have a feeling that the next few years will be particularly hard for him and he's going to need friends who will stand by him."

"Why me?"

"You followed him down to the lake, did you not."

I nodded. "Yeah, but so did James, Remus and Peter."

Dumbledore nods. "I have talked with them as well, but I thought it was important to talk to you since you seem to like him."

"He's nice," I said cautiously.

Dumbledore chuckles, "that's one way I never thought I'd hear a Griffendor describe a Black. Though Sirius isn't exactly your average Black." He got a distant look in his eyes and murmured, "I wish it was possible to ban that owl from the castle."

"Pardon?" I said not sure I'd heard correctly.

"It's best you get back to class."

I nodded understanding he's not going to repeat what he just said.

"Oh and Ruth, don't mention this to anyone."

"I wont," I replied. And to this day I haven't, not even to Gen.

I spend a lot of time after my talk with Dumbledore hanging around with the muraders. As a direct result I spend less time with Gen who can't stand James and Sirius though she admits that Remus is "all right". There was something a little strange about him though that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

The big event that year that everyone was talking about in the weeks leading up to it, was the trip to Hogsmade on Valentines Day. I hated Valentines Day actually I still hate it. Who ever decided that we needed a holiday that revolved around the colour pink should be forced to die a slow painful death. All the girls constantly talking about who they were going to Hogsmade with and who they wanted to go with was also driving me mad.

"Who cares if you have a date or not," I ranted to Gen one evening. "Hogsmades fun either way, in fact it would probably be more boring if you were forced to spend the entire day sitting around with the same person."

"I think," Gen said, "that you are completely missing the point of Valentines Day, which is to spend time with the person you love."

"Well they needn't turn the whole world pink to annoy those of us who aren't."

"Not everyone hates the colour pink as much as you do."

"It burns my eyes. And all this obsessing about having to go to Hogsmade with a guy is burning by ears." Actually it wasn't entirely true. Deep down I'd hoped that Sirius would ask me but seeing the crowds of giggling girls – all older then me – that followed him and James around the school my chances of being asked were next to none. That was probably also part of the reason I was in such a foul mood. James displayed no interest in going with anyone other then Lily who he must have asked about a dozen times. James was persistent; actually Remus might have been more accurate when he said James was dense.

With the visit to Hogsmade only two sleeps away I'd retreated to my room before dinner instead of hanging out in the common room. Gen had joked earlier that if anyone sent me a valentine they would meet an unpleasant fate. I wasn't sure if that was entirely inaccurate given my current mood.

I waited until the last possible minute to head down for supper so that there wouldn't be anyone in the common room. But as I came down the stairs I could still hear voices. It was Sirius and a sixth year girl by the name of Dara who seemed determined to go to Hogsmade with Siruis.

"Why won't you go with me?" she asked as I crossed to common room trying not to hear the conversation.

"Because I'm already going with someone."

'No surprise there' I thought as I went to open the portrait hole.

"Who?" she demanded.

"Ruth Dawson."

I stopped to look over my shoulder in surprise, he hadn't asked me. Then a thought struck me, he'd just thrown my name in to get her to leave him alone. I jumped through the portrait hole just as she said;

"Why do you want to go with her, she's only a third year and not even pretty."

"None of your business," I heard him say just before the portrait closed.

I headed down the stairs towards the great hall. I head hurried footsteps behind me then Sirius landed beside me having jumped over the last few stairs.

"Why'd you have to throw my name into the conversation," I demanded trying not to sound as hurt as I felt.

"Because I wanted to ask you but I never had an opportunity, 'cause whenever you're around it's always with a huge group of people." He looked embarrassed. "I should have asked you before I threw your name into the conversation especially since you're probably going with someone else."

"I'm not." I paused, "I'll go to Hogsmade with you if you want."

"Really," he said smiling, "great."

I forget to mention this to Gen until the morning of the trip.

"Well for someone who was so down on the idea of going with someone you sure changed your mind," she said grumpily.

"Well he asked, I couldn't really have said no."

Gen just rolls her eyes. "Well have a good time with your date. Next thing you know is you'll start liking Valentines Day."

"I am never going to like Valentines Day. Too much pink."

James being James walks over and asks Lily on the walk there.

"For the twentieth time, Potter, NO!"

I laughed.

"Come on," said Sirius. "If we run we'll get to spend the day free of James."

I half expect someone to run after us but no one did.

Once there we went into the coffee shop that Gen and I had always avoided like the plague because it was where couples always went. Sirius buys us both a cup of hot chocolate and we sat down near the window. We've hardly been there for any time at all when Regulus and his Slytherin buddies strolled up the street. Sure enough they saw us and with Regulus in the lead they marched in.

"Well, well what's this? A Black and a mudblood."

Suddenly Sirius is on his feet with his wand under his brothers chin. "If you don't get out of here now there wont be any of you left for your buddies to drag out of here."

Regulus swallows and backs away, personally I don't blame him, I've never seen Sirius this mad before and it's kind of scary. Just before he goes through the door Regulus said, "Mother will here about this." Then he and his friends are gone.

Sirius sat back down putting his wand away and looked miserable.

"He's not your fault," I reminded him.

"It's not just him. My whole families like that. We all have to be Slytherins, and until me we always had been, even the sorting hat commented on it, 'another Black, but you're not like the rest where should I put you'. I suggested Giffendor and to my surprise it actually did put me there. I don't know who was more surprised about the whole thing, the Slytherins or the Griffendors." He ran a hand over his eyes. "I still remember how silent it was in the hall, no cheering like for all the other kids. When I was half way to the table I remember hearing clapping and turning around to see that it was Dumbledore. Of course some of the Griffendors clapped after that feeling guilty about the whole thing. Then when James got sorted he ran over, sat down beside me and said, 'I guess you're the black sheep of your family then, or would it be the white sheep in your family'." Sirius shakes his head at the memory. "Then Remus who was sitting across from us said 'the great thing about Dumbledore is he'll accept anyone'. It took me a long time to understand what that meant."

I wondered if it had anything to do with why Remus disappeared for a day each month.

"Then of course my mum shows up at the school the next day, marches into the great hall and demands I'll be resorted. Dumbledore simply explained that you can not be resorted but since she's come all this way would she like a cup of tea in his office." Sirius smiled bitterly at the memory. "Dumbledor is the one person she hates more then she hates me."

"Why's she hate Dumbledore?"

"He's a good wizard, exact opposite of Voldermort."

"You're parents are death eaters then?"

He shook his head. "No, but they might as well be."

"Yeah well, you can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. If you could you wouldn't be the only person choosing a different family, believe me."

He chuckled, "yeah, I guess you're right."

Despite all my earlier rants to Gen I did have a good time. Once out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw Gen with Snivellus, but I didn't dare turn and look because I had a feeling that if Siruis saw Snivellus he wouldn't be able to resist hexing him.

The next morning when the Black family owl swooped down towards the table to drop a howler on Sirius' plate I was reminded of Regulus in the coffee shop and was filled with a sudden unease. Sirius looked like he wanted to take the howler and run out of the great hall with it but it exploded first.

"JUST WHEN I THOUGHT YOU COULD STOOP NO LOWER I RECIVED AN OWL FROM YOUR BROTHER." Sirius looked like he wanted to slide under the table and disappear. "DATING A MUDBLOOD, THAT'S LOW EVEN FOR YOU. I CAN'T BELIVE YOU WOULD EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT YOU SHAME OF ON MY FLESH." With that the howler disappears in a burst of flames.

Regulus was laughing on the other side of the great hall and the other Slytherins joined in.

"I'm sorry," Sirius muttered.

"It's not your fault," I replied, but the words sounded hollow, even to me.

To make matters worse we had double potions first. My caldron was only a few feet away from Regulus' and as a result I could hear him insulting me all period.

"Just ignore him," Gen muttered.

I was fairly proud to say that I was. Then he started insulting Sirius.

"Shut up," I snapped at him unable to take it anymore.

"Excuse me," said Regulus turning to look at me.

"I said shut up." The table next to my caldron with my potion ingredients on had started to shake. Anyone who had gone to school with me before Hogwarts knew that when objects started shaking around me I was about to completely loose my temper.

Regulus just laughed pulling out his wand. "Aww, is the mudblood…"

To this day I still don't know what the rest of his sentence would have been because I simply pulled out my wand and said, "stupefy." Regulus fell backwards into his own caldron which tipped over and hit the caldron next to his causing the contents of both caldrons to pour out onto him.

Professor Tragally came over then. "What is going on?" she roared. Then seeing Regulus she quickly ordered two other Slytherin boys to take him up to the hospital wing. Then she went up to the fire, threw some stuff in it and muttered something before walking back over to me. "Wand away Dawson, we're going to see the headmaster."

I should have felt worried, but all I felt was anger as I jammed my wand into my belt.

The door to the dungeon opened and Snivellus walked in.

"Ahh, Severus," said Professor Tragally. "Would you kindly watch the class wile I deal with this miscreant."

"With pleasure," he replied.

If I hadn't put my wand away I would have hexed him too just for the look he gave me.

"Come on," Professor Tragally said grabbing me by the shoulder.

"Don't touch me," I snapped, even she looked shocked but removed her hand.

As she marched me up to Dumbledores office I began to worry that I might be expelled. We stopped before a stone gargoyle and she said with a huge amount of distaste in her voice, "lemon drops."

The gargoyle sprang aside and we descended the stairs into Dumbledores office. The headmaster was pacing when we walked in but immediately went to sit behind his desk while Professor Tragally explained what "happened". Half the time I wanted to yell out and protest that what she was saying wasn't right but I kept my mouth shut. After she'd finished she left to go back to class leaving me standing there feeling numb.

"Sit down, Ruth," Dumbledore said gently. "And tell me what happened."

I sat down and immediately started telling my version. It was actually the first time anyone had asked me for my version of what happened normally I was just punished.

He was silent for a long time after I finished. "You need to control that temper of yours," he finally said gently. "Because if you attack another student again I will have to expel you and I would hate to loose such a talented student."

I nodded feeling a great weight lift off my shoulders.

"You used a stunning spell, you say."

"Yes sir."

He looked at me over his half-moon glasses. "We don't teach those until fifth year, where did you learn that?"

"A book. I read a lot about spells because I want to be an Auror." I felt a little foolish telling my dream to Dumbledore, after all I was only in my third year.

"An Auror you say," he smiled. "Yes I can see you being good at that."

"Sir, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did, but you may ask another."

"Is that a phoenix?" I asked pointing to a bird sitting on the perch behind him.

"Yes, that's Fawkes," as if on cue the bird flew over to the desk. "You may pet him if you like."

I stroked the birds head a little in awe after having read about phoenix's.

"It would be best," said Dumbledore, "If you were to go back to class now."

I nodded, "thank you sir."

He raised an eyebrow, "For what?"

"For not expelling me."

He simply chuckled.

The story about me stunning Regulus into his caldron was talked about around the school for weeks. It seemed like every Griffendor came up to me in the common room to congratulate me on it. In fact it was still a good story by the end of the year.

_A/N: wow, that part was way longer then I'd planned. Next bit will be shorter I promise._


	3. School’s School

Chapter 3: School's School

The summer before fourth year I received an owl from James telling me that Sirius was now living at his house. I resolved to save up to buy an owl so I could write to them. In the last week of August I did buy a small barn owl in Diagon alley. I'd had the owl a total of two days when it decided to develop the annoying habit of nibbling on my ear. Gen thought that was funny, which I suppose helped alleviate some of her jealousy since I had an owl and she didn't.

Now I think back on it that was probably my least eventful year at Hogwarts. We won the Quiditch cup again for the fourth year in a row, which if anything made the Slytherins hate us even more. Slytherin won the house cup this year, which made them insufferable for the last week of school.

"We've got to win that house cup next year," said Sirius on the train ride home.

"Yeah, especially since it's our last year," said James.

"If you guys didn't get in trouble so often and get house points taken off we'd win the house cup," Gen pointed out.

"Aww come on," said James, "you're worse then Remus."

"Leave me out of this," Remus muttered. He was leaning against the window and looked ill. Then again tonight was a full moon and he always disappeared when there were full moons, which lead me to believe he was a werewolf. The thing I couldn't figure out was the other three always went with him and returned fine which was impossible. But it gave me a problem to try to find an answer to over the summer.

By the end of summer vacation I thought I had the answer, a seemingly impossible answer, but an answer none the less; James, Sirius and Peter were Animagus'. Seemingly impossible because becoming an Animagus was strictly controlled by the ministry, and was also very hard, but not impossible because James and Sirius were two of the best and brightest students in the school. I planned to get up early after the first full moon to catch them coming in so I could ask.

Gen was worried because this was OWL's year. Personally I wasn't too concerned, exams are all overrated anyways. Thought part of my lack of concern probably came from the fact that I aced most of my classes with very little effort.

I still clearly remember getting up early the morning after the first full moon and tiptoeing down the stairs so I didn't wake anyone else. I didn't have to wait long in the common room before the four of them scrambled though the portrait hole.

"So you're back," I said.

They all jumped.

"Hey," James said looking nervous.

"How long have you three been Animagus' for?" I asked.

They looked shocked.

"How did you know?" Peter blurted out.

"More importantly how long have you known?" Remus asked.

"I've known you're a werewolf for about a year now," I told him. "But I've only known you three are Animagus' for a couple months."

"You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" Remus asked.

"Why would I?"

He shrugged, "I don't know."

"Relax, your secrets safe with me. I'd just like to know why you didn't tell me sooner." I looked at Sirius as I said this and he looked at his feet.

"Err…" said James, but he was saved from answering by the arrival of a few other students in the common room.

I never did find out the reason though by the end of the year I'd decided I'd rather not know.

We were down by the lake after exams when it started dawning on me that Sirius, James and them wouldn't be here next year. James was sitting a few feet away from us with Lily – who had finally agreed to go out with him, and much to everyone's surprise they'd been together almost the entire year – Remus was sitting against a tree with his nose buried in a book, which was hardly unusual and Peter was pulling up the grass looking bored. That's when it occurred to me that I hadn't seen Gen since we'd finished our last exam this morning.

"Hey guys, has anyone seen Gen?"

"Not recently," Remus said looking up from his book. "Why?"

"I haven't seen her since we finished the exam and I was wondering where she was."

"Apparently over there," said James pointing towards the Forbidden Forest. "With Snivellus."

I sat up and looked, sure enough he was right.

"What's she doing with _him_?" Sirius asked.

"No clue," I muttered.

"Ruth, tell your friend that I'm offended she'd rather spend time with that grease ball then us," said James.

"Ha ha, funny," I replied. Truthfully I was shocked to see her with him, the only time I knew they'd spoken to one another was when he'd taught our potions class for a week because Professor Tragally had to go somewhere. Strangely enough he'd actually helped her make her potions. I'd ignored him for the entire week, I certainly didn't need help – not that he'd have helped me anyways given that I was Sirius' girlfriend – and I certainly wasn't going to try to have a conversation with him. Regulus on the other hand, had loved having Snivellus teach us since they shared a common hatred for his brother, which just discouraged me further from trying to have a conversation with him.

Though thinking back on it there had been times when Gen hadn't been with the rest of us and I simply hadn't thought anything of it because last year there had been times when she hadn't been with us but instead hung around with Lily. This year Lily had been with us so who knew where Gen had been.

Much to Sirius' and James' delight Griffendor won both the Quiditch cup and the house cup this year. This called for a massive party in the common room on the final night and was the reason it seemed that all the Griffendors were sleeping on the train ride home.

I wasn't quite sure what to say to Sirius as we stood there on platform 9 ¾ suddenly he reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace with a silver key attached to it.

"Here," he said putting it around my neck. "I know you hate rings so I figured I'd get you this instead. I'll be waiting for you when you get out of Hogwarts, I promise."

I pulled him into a kiss.

"Grosse," Regulus exclaimed. And just because he could Sirius hexed him.

Halfway through the summer I received a letter with my OWL results. I'd got six, outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfigeration, Charms and Potions and exceeds expectations in Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. I'd received poor in both Divination and History of Magic, which was not really a surprise.

Gen only got three owls, outstanding in Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology and acceptable in Defence Against the Dark Arts. She'd received poor in everything else except Potions where she'd got dreadful.

I was promoted to captain of the Quiditch team and after assessing the new talent I picked two new chasers and I moved into the seeker position since we didn't have anyone good enough to take over the position of seeker now James was gone. Truthfully I had a lot to live up to since James had been team captain for the past two years and we had simply slaughtered every other house team, even Slytherin with their superior brooms.

The team got off to a rough start in the game against Slytherin and truthfully the only reason we won was because I beat Regulus to the snitch.

The schoolwork had only gotten harder now I was past fifth year. Since we had to have passed our OWLs to get into the classes the teachers forced more work on us at a faster pace, the more classes you'd passed the heavier and harder the work load was.

"How do you do it?" Gen asked me one night. "I mean I'm barely surviving my three classes and you're handling six no problem."

No problem was probably the understatement of the year since I often let my Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures homework slide until the last possible moment so as a result I wasn't doing nearly as well as I could have in them. "Natural skill," I told Gen, which wasn't entirely untrue since that was what allowed me to handle the practical part of the courses so at least I didn't have to practise the spells and could just do the reading.

Personally I had never been quite so relived to have Christmas come for the two-week breather so I could catch up on sleep. Coming out on the other side of Christmas, however, end of year exams and Quiditch only looked closer.

From the moment the snow melted I had the Quiditch team out on the pitch practising and it paid off because we swept both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to give the Quiditch cup for the seventh year in a row. If we got it next year we'd set a record in the school for the house team who had won the Quiditch cup the most consecutive times. Seeing as we'd have the same team back next year I didn't see why we wouldn't set a new record. The Slytherins, on the other hand, were furious because up until now it had been their undisputed record.

"We're going to do it," I enthused to Gen. "And prove once and for all that Griffendor is better then Slytherin will ever be."

"It's a year off," Gen pointed out. "We have NEWT's to worry about first."

I rolled my eyes, "NEWT's are more then a year off."

"Do you ever worry about anything?"

"Sure, just not to the extent you do."

I passed all my exams that year with flying colours, much to the frustration of Professor Tragally who really, really didn't want me in her class any more.

"So what are you planning to do after school?" I asked Gen on the train ride home.

"I'd like to work training creatures," she said. "Kind of like what Hagrid does with the Threstrals around the school."

"I wonder what Threstrals look like," I said.

"I don't. Personally I'm not that interested in seeing what something looks like if I can only see them if I've seen someone die."

I remained silent. I had no doubts that as an Auror I'd see tones of people die, especially with someone like Voldemort on the loose. At the time I had no idea how right I'd be, only I wouldn't have to wait until I was an Auror to see Threstrals.

_A/N: yeah ok, that chapter was long and kind of slow moving, it'll pick up in the next one I swear_


	4. Lessons Learned

Chapter 4: Lessons Learned

Gen and I were in Diagon Alley buying school supplies for our final year at Hogwarts when we heard commotion. Drawing my wand I ran down the street in the direction of the noise.

"Are you insane?" Gen yelled after me.

I didn't answer; it wasn't worth wasting breath over. Ever since I'd become of age I'd wanted to do something other then practise magic outside of school, and being able to apparate over to Gens house while time saving wasn't much fun after the first couple of times.

I rounded the corner only to see a pair of death eaters standing in the middle of the street. There were other people that I could see hiding out of the way. I couldn't tell who either of the death eaters were since they had masks on.

"You wont get it," said a shrill voice belonging to a short man standing in front of them. "I'll die first."

"There are ways we can get the information from you," said the taller death eater.

'I know that voice,' I thought racking my brain trying to remember where I'd heard it before.

"Crucio."

The man fell to the ground screaming in pain.

I didn't know what the curse was but I knew I had to put a stop to it, now. "Expelluramus," I bellowed pointing my wand at the death eater. His wand flew from his hand and he spun around to face me, as he did so I saw a strand of white-blond hair fall out from under his hood. Malfoy.

"They can't even send an Auror to save you," Malfoy said. "All you get is a kid."

"Impedimenta," I bellowed. If I wasn't mistaken the shorter death eater looked a little panicked as he waved his wand clumsily to remove the hex. Malfoy had his wand in hand immediately.

There was a loud crack letting me know that someone had apparated behind me. Malfoy had his wand pointed at me.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you," a voice growled behind me.

"Well you wont get the information he has," Malfoy snarled then pointed his wand at the little man. "Avada Kedavra."

There was a flash of green light and the man lay sprawled out on the ground. Malfoy and the other death eater were gone.

I sprinted over to the man.

"Too late," the voice growled.

"What? Why?" I asked turning around. The man I was facing was missing a leg, an eye and there was a large chunk missing from his nose.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "That was the killing curse."

"I…I didn't know. We don't take them until seventh year."

"You're still in school?"

I nodded. "I'm going into my seventh year."

"And you took on two death eaters."

I shrugged, "yeah. Why?"

"There are very few adult wizards who will take on a death eater, let alone two," he said gesturing to all the wizards who were now coming out of hiding.

I felt angry, why hadn't anyone helped? If they had a mans life could have been saved, my stomach turned over, if I'd acted faster a mans life could have been saved.

"Come with me," the wizard said.

"Where are we going?"

He didn't answer, as it turned out we were going to get ice cream which struck me as kind of bazaar given that a man had just died.

"Eat up," he said. "It's good."

"I…I'm not hungy."

"Wasn't your fault. A miracle you're alive really."

"Who are you?"

"Name's Alaster Moody, most people call me Mad-Eye because of this," he growled pointing to his magical eye. "I'm an Auror, I was supposed to bring that man back to headquarters but the death eaters got hear to fast."

"Headquarters?"

"Nothing you need to be concerned with. Now who are you?"

"Ruth Dawson, I'm going into my seventh year at Hogwarts. I want to be an Auror."

"Dumbledores mentioned you."

"What's he said?"

"That you'd make a fine Auror. After that little display I'd have to agree. Now I must be going, eat your ice cream." And with a crack he was gone leaving me sitting there feeling numb.

Mad-Eye must have told Dumbledore what happened because once we were back at school he paid me a visit.

"Alaster told me you fought off a pair of death eaters."

"Not really." I couldn't meet Dumbledores eyes, for some reason I felt like I'd failed him not being able to stop the death eaters. "I couldn't save him."

"Neaither could Alaster and he's the best Auror we have."

I looked up at him.

"You put too much pressure on your self, you didn't know what they were capable of doing which only tells me that I've been right all along in trying to talk the ministry into teaching students about the unforgivable curses. Obviously you just need to be taught sooner, which is my failing, not yours."

I nodded feeling a bit better.

"Now don't despair, because the ministry is in need of more good Aurors at the moment."

"I don't know if I'd be that good."

"Balderdash. From what both Alaster and I have seen you'd do an excellent job. Now work hard this year because the world needs good Aurors quickly."

I took Dumbledores words to hart and worked like I never had before. The only time I took a break was when Gen and I were invited to spend Christmas at James and Lily's place. As it turned out they were engaged and to be married this summer. James was less interested in talking about that and more interested in my fight with the death eaters.

"It wasn't that big a deal," I protested.

"Maybe not to you. But Mad-Eye wouldn't shut up about it for weeks at Headquarters, the Order was franky sick of the story."

"Then why do you want to hear it from me?"

"'Cause Mad-Eye only arrived at the end, I want the rest of it."

"Fine, I'll tell you if you tell me what this 'order' is and what 'headquarters' is."

"Well done James, they aren't supposed to know about it," said Lilly.

"She'll be a part of it next year," James said.

"And Mad-Eye mentioned headquarters back in Diagon Alley," I added.

"It's the Order of the Phenoix," said Sirius who was sitting there with his arm around me. "A group of people who are fighting Voldemort, this way we can work around the Ministry's rules, sort of. Headquarters is simply our base of operations so to speak."

"It was created by Dumbledore since he's the only one Voldemorts afraid of," James added. "The ministry knows he's assigning Aurors to do stuff of course but they don't know what. They haven't interfered at all 'cause it works and they're at a complete loss for what to do."

"And you guys are a part of it?"

"Of course," said Sirius. "You don't have to be an Auror to be, there's all kinds of witches and wizards involved."

"Your turn," said James pleasantly.

I rolled my eyes before telling him what had happened.

"You're sure it was Malfoy." Sirius asked when I finished.

"Positive. Why?"

"My brothers been spending a lot of time with him recently. I thought it was just 'cause Malfoy's dating my cousin Narcissa."

"You recon he's a death eater then?" I asked.

"If he's not yet he will be soon, I'd bet my life on it."

I make a mental note to keep a close eye on Regulus for the rest of the year.

"So how's Quiditch going?" James asks.

"Pretty well. We beat Slytherin."

"You better win the Quiditch cup this year," said James. "Put those Slytherins in their place."

We did win the Quiditch cup, but something more important happened before the end of the year. Just after exams I saw Regulus down by the lake trying to drown some muggle-born wizards.

"Leave them alone or I'll drown you," I said drawing my wand.

"You'd be dead before then," Regulus replied.

"I wasn't aware you could perform a simple hex let alone a curse to kill someone," I replied though Sirius' suspicions about his brother being a death eater were hovering at the back of my mind.

Regulus grinned wickedly and pulled up his left sleeve to reveal the dark mark on his left forearm.

I felt like the wind had just been knocked out of me.

"No Auror here to rescue you now."

For a moment I was confused then I remembered Sirius mentioning that Regulus had been spending a lot of time with Malfoy. Regulus had been the other death eater last summer.

"I'm surprised you're so confident without Malfoy here to protect you," I replied.

Suddenly Regulus looked up the hill towards the castle and his expression changed to one of fear. He pointed his wand at a rock, muttered something then grabbed it and was gone before I could do anything.

'Not again!' I felt like screaming. However I quickly rescued the other students from the water and had just put the last one down on shore when Dumbledore arrived beside me.

"He's gone then," the headmaster said.

It wasn't a question but I nodded anyways.

Dumbledore sighed. "I should have done something about him long before now, but there was no way to prove it."

"I could have stopped him," I said.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't think so. And that's not because I doubt your abilities, but Voldemort teaches his death eaters that they must always have an escape route. Though I am shocked and disturbed that he was able to create a portkey inside Hogwarts grounds."

I had nothing to say, there was nothing I could say so I simply put my wand away and walked up to the castle.

I was accepted into Auror training before I had my NEWT results, which should have been impossible, except both Dumbledore and Mad-Eye had insisted they take me as an Auror. I started training the day after James and Lily's wedding but the training didn't give me any peace of mind.

I was still haunted by dreams of a man I had been unable to save and the escape of Regulus Black. After my first year of training – which was in class work much like it had been at Hogwarts – I was told I would be apprenticed to another Auror and I would work with him for a year before I became a full Auror. The Auror I would be working with was Mad-Eye Moody.

"I thought Auror training took three years," I said to him.

"It does. Normally there are two years of in-class work, they pushed you through faster because Dumbledore said you could do it."

"Where are we going?"

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

I didn't bother asking why, it was exactly as James had said a year and a half ago, they _wanted _me in the Order. An Auror, especially one working for the Order of the Phoenix, hardly gets any rest, as a result I wasn't able to see James and Lilly's son Harry until he was four months old because by then I was a full Auror and was able to request a day off.

"This is my godson," Sirius said handing Harry to me.

I cradled the boy in my arms. "He looks like James," I commented. "But he's got Lily's eyes."

"He's great aint he," said James smiling proudly.

I smiled down at the little boy, "he sure is."

That was the last time I'd see the Potters alive but it wasn't the last time I'd see Sirius. I was one of the Aurors sent to capture him and bring him to Askaban. The image of that street is frozen into my memory, the destruction, the bodies and Sirius standing there laughing as the other Aurors took him away. I couldn't move, I couldn't even lift my wand.

Mad-Eye walked over to me. "You alright?"

I managed to shake me head.

He sighed. "You liked him, didn't you."

"We were practically engaged, Mad-Eye."

"And you never once got the feeling he was working for Voldemort?"

"He wasn't," I said.

Mad-Eye sighed. "You have to face the truth. He was just like that."

"No he wasn't." I snapped.

"Yes he was, he was a Black after all."

Mad-Eye might have had more to say but he never got a chance to say it, I apperated out of there and was gone for a week. Dumbledore was the first one I saw when I walked exhaustedly into Headquarters.

"We've been worried about you." He said looking me over his half-moon spectacles.

"He didn't do it."

"He was their secret keeper."

"He couldn't have been. They must have switched."

"To who?"

"Remus maybe."

"It wasn't me, I haven't talked to them or Sirius in over a month."

I looked at Remus who looked exhausted. "Peter then."

"Peter's dead," Dumbledore said gently. "Sirius killed him."

"He didn't."

"There were a street full of witnesses. All that was left of Peter was a finger…"

"I heard Dumbledore," I practically yelled. "I was there remember!"

"Yes," he said softly.

"It wasn't Sirius," I said softly, "it couldn't have been Sirius." Then I realised somewhat belatedly that I was crying.

Dumbledore simply walked over and enfolded me in a hug. "I understand where you're coming from, but all the evidence says otherwise." He paused then said softly, "if it makes you feel better I don't understand how it could have been Sirius either."

_A/N: okay, that ends the flash back part, next couple chapters will pick up where the story started._


	5. There’s No Time Like the Present

Chapter 5: There's No Time Like the Present

Here I am all these years later, still unable to believe it was Sirius. Probably the only thing out of place on a record that rivals Mad-Eye's. I have the Order of Merlin First Class, I personally put five death eaters in Askaban and helped put three others there. One of the five I put in was let out – Karkeroff – and one other I caught never made it to Askaban – Lucious Malfoy still walks free.

I also almost put Snivellus in Askaban only to find out from Dumbledore that he had been acting as a spy for almost a year before Voldemorts demise. I found it interesting that Dumbledore was the only one who knew he was a spy. Apparently he'd been spying exclusively for Dumbledore because he believed that Dumbledore was the only one who could protect him if he'd even been discovered.

"It would have saved me a lot of trouble if I'd known that before hand," I snapped at Snivellus after the trail (he was one of the few death eaters who did get a trial, and he only got it because of Dumbledores insistence).

"Well I did mention it too you."

"If I listened to everything death eaters told me none of the one's I caught would be in Askaban."

"I think it's necessary for me to remind you that without my work there would have been many more deaths."

"There were deaths anyways," I snapped.

"Not all of them were regrettable," he muttered.

I knew he meant James and it made my blood boil. "Maybe not to you," I snapped resisting the urge to draw my wand only because we were inside the Ministry of Magic.

"Potters death was not my fault," he replied. "The man at fault is already in Askaban."

We hit a split in the corridor then and I took the opposite way he did knowing that if I didn't end the conversation now I might very shortly loose my temper and end his life.

Now I'm back in England and very likely to see Snivellus again because he's working at Hogwarts. I don't know what I'll do if I see him. Maybe Gen was right when she said that my work in Canada only provided me a reason to hide from what I feared the most. She was probably also right when I first told her what I was going to Canada to do and she said, "running away wont help".

I pull my trunk behind me as I walk through the airport contemplating this. Deep down I know she was right, I just never wanted to face it. But now I'm back and everything I've been hiding from is lurking near by and soon I'll have to face it. While I'm being honest with myself for a change I also have to admit that the only reason I went after so many death eaters was in the hope that one of them would say Sirius was innocent.

To my surprise Dumbledore is waiting for me in the parking lot. It strikes me as ironic that a man supposedly in hiding is standing in the middle of a place filled with thousands of muggles in wizards robes. Purple wizards robes with silver stars on them to be precise. For me it only confirms what I had suspected long ago – the Ministry has gone right down the drain.

"Hello Dumbledore," I say softly.

He smiles. "I was hoping you'd see me."

"You're kind of hard to miss."

He chuckles and gestures for me to get in the car.

I stick my truck in the back and slide into the passengers seat. "So where are we headed?"

"Headquarters."

"Same place as last time?"

"No, a new one. You may find it…interesting."

I give him a questioning look but he wont expand any further. However as we pull into a well of neighbourhood he says;

"The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is located at number 12 Grimmauld Place London."

I open my mouth to ask about it when a house appears in front of us. 'Dumbledore's secret keeper,' I think 'that explains a few things'.

We walk in to find the place empty.

"Something's wrong," I murmur.

Suddenly Dumbledore reaches into the shadows and grabs something, it's a house elf. "Where is everyone?" he demands.

"Don't know," the elf replies a little to quickly for my liking.

"Where is Sirius?"

I do a double take, and stare at Dumbledore wondering if I'd heard him incorrectly.

"Gone," the house elf laughs. "Gone after Harry Potter."

Dumbledore pulls out his wand. "Legilimens."

I stare at Dumbledore, what is going on?

Dumbledore suddenly drops the laughing house elf and says to me, "we are desperately needed at the Ministry of Magic in the department of mysteries." Then he dissaperates.

I stare at the cackling house elf for half a second then pull my cloak out of my truck, throw it on and apperate into the department of mysteries. One of the advantages to being an Auror is that I can apperate directly into any department of the Ministry of Magic at any moment, even the middle of the night.

I arrive in the middle of what appears to be a battle.

A stunning spell bounces off the back of my cloak causing the cloak to once again prove that it was worth the three hundred thousand gallons I paid for it. The cloaks a rare one, it's made of dragons scales held together with petrified dragons blood, it's extremely heavy but it will deflect almost all hexes and curses. Mad-Eye tried to discourage me from buying one simply because it was expensive, and heavy enough to restrict quick movement and also because there have been cases of Aurors who rely to heavily on their cloaks and end up dead. It has still saved my life countless times.

I pull my wand, I had forgotten what it was like to be in a battle I can see everything, hear everything and smell everything, it's almost overwhelming.

I spin around, "Stupify." A death eater falls to the ground, I don't know who it is, and I don't have time to find out.

I spin around again and freeze feeling my body go as numb as if a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on my head. Sirius is fighting Bellatrix Lestrange.

He dodges a stunning spell and laughs saying, "come on, you can do better then that." (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 710) Her second stunner hits him right in the face.

He falls backwards and is about to fall through a veil behind him when I find myself using a levitation charm to move him away from it.

Lestrange spins around, sees me and sprints from the room. To my surprise Harry follows her. Then Dumbledore follows both of them. I don't have time to think about what's happening, I've just seen Lucious Malfoy out of the corner of my eye aiming his wand at Sirius. I leap in font of him, landing closer to him then I'd planned. In fact landing close enough that if I were to nod I would hit him in the nose with my forehead.

"Dawson," he says sounding irritated.

"Malfoy," I reply. We both have our wands pointed at one another's faces though if we were to hex one another we are so close we would hit ourselves as well.

"You were a pain even in school," he sneers. "It is time you learned a lesson."

I don't know what he's planning to do but I poke him in the eye with my wand.

He stumbles backwards screaming and covering his eye.

"Stupify," I say evenly. Seeing that Dumbledore has bound the other death eaters with a charm to stop them from apperating I do the same to Malfoy then I head for the stairs that Harry and Dumbledore disappeared up.

I arrive in time to witness the end of the battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore. At the end of it Harry is left lying twitching in the middle of the hall. Dumbledore goes and bends over him and a moment later he sits up. Fudge is running in from the other end of the hall, in his pyjamas flanked by Aurors.

I barely hear the conversation between Dumbledore and Fudge and simply watch with a strange feeling of detachment as Harry is transported back to Hogwarts by portkey. Then Dumbledore walks over to me.

"Ruth, I need you to accompany the other students to Hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey will see to their injuries." I simply nod and take the portkey.

Madame Pomfrey could not possibly look more shocked when we arrive, via the portkey, in the hospital wing.

"Dumbledore said you'd patch them up," I tell her though to me my voice sounds very distant, almost as if it is coming from someone else.

"Dumbledore," she whispers.

I nod.

"Very well then," she says briskly and sets to work.

I go wait outside, I hear Dumbledore arrive and say a few things to Madame Pomfrey. I look up as he walks out the door.

"I have to talk with Mr. Potter first," Dumbledore says. "Once I am done I'll explain everything to you."

I try to speak but I can't make any sound emerge from my throat so I simply nod.

The sun rises bathing everything in soft light while I wait for Dumbledore. Some students are heading down for breakfast so I step back into the hospital wing.

"A message from Dumbledore?" says Madame Pomfrey.

I shake my head and she goes back to her work. Just when I think Dumbledore has forgotten about me he strides into the hospital wing.

"Ahh there you are. Come to my office."

I follow him through the halls feeling once again like I was simply a student here.

A baby Fawkes was sitting on his perch chirping softly. Normally the sight of Dumbledores phoenix would have made me smile but not this time.

"Sit down," Dumbledore said gently gesturing to the chair across from his desk.

I sit, feeling numb.

"I have a feeling," Dumbledore said softly. "That you are in a state of shock after what you witnessed at the Ministry tonight."

I managed a nod.

"I doubt you have forgotten mentioning to me many years ago that Sirius Black was innocent."

"I haven't," I say my voice sounding horse even to my own ears. "But you didn't believe me."

"On the contrary," Dumbledore replies. "I did believe you, but there was no proof otherwise. Sirius was captured for a brief period of time and held here in this school, it was then that I learned that you had been right in assuming that the Potters had changed secret keepers. Peter Petigrew betrayed them to Lord Voldemort." There is a long silence before he continues, "Sirius has been working as a part of the Order since it started, Kingsley has been purposely feeding the Ministry the wrong information about Sirius' whereabouts."

"I thought…I figured that something was wrong if Kingsley was unable to track him down. But why didn't you tell me?"

Dumbledore sighs. "I was afraid to mention it in my letters in case they were intercepted and the fires are being watched all the time by the ministry so it was impossible for me to mention Sirius' name. However it seems you knew for a long time that he was an Animagus without mentioning it to anybody."

"I didn't think there was any point to it, after all he was already in Askaban."

"What about after he escaped."

"I…I couldn't."

Dumbledore smiles. "It appears we all have our own secrets."

I don't have anything to say to that.

"However, thanks to you Sirius survived tonight's events intact and is currently back at Headquarters." He pauses, "Hopefully in light of recent events we will be able to get the ministry to declare him a free man."

"And the death eaters will all come over to our side," I say dully.

Dumbledore laughs. "I see you're faith in the ministry has not changed."

I am about to reply when the door to Dumbledores office opens and Snivellus walks in as living proof that you can still hate someone even if you haven't seen them for years.

"I see you're back," he says stiffly to Dumbledore.

"Yes," Dumbledore replies. "Voldemorts attempts at the ministry were successfully thwarted thanks to you."

'Hold on, what does he mean by "thanks to you"?' I wonder.

"I figured as much seeing as Mister Potter just passed me on the way to breakfast."

"Speaking of breakfast I think it would be best if the three of us were to head down to it." Dumbledore says standing up.

Snivellus looks at me as if realising I'm there for the first time. "What is she doing here?"

I stand up. "Delaying Voldemorts return to power. You?"

"That's enough," Dumbledore says sharply. "I would suggest that you both work to get along since it is crucial to the Order." With that he sweeps out of his office.

I follow him my cloak billowing behind me. "What's he doing here?"

"Severus has been doing invaluable work for the Order for quite some time now." Dumbledore looks over at me but does not slow his pace. "You will find that there are things more important then old grudges."

"I know there are things more important then old grudges," I snap.

"Then demonstrate it. That goes for you as well, Severus."

I look over my shoulder to see Snivellus following us. He sneers at me and I glare back at him. I somehow doubt that it is possible for the two of us to get along anymore then it was possible for him and James Potter to get along back when we were in school.

_A/N: you gotta love Snape, more fun with him in coming chapters. Sorry for the length of this one, I had ideas and just couldn't stop writing. I invented the cloak Ruth has, it makes things a little more interesting._


	6. Friends will be Friends and Enemies will...

Chapter 6: Friends will be Friends and Enemies will be Enemies

I spend the next week at Hogwarts. Exams are just finishing up so there are many students just hanging around the grounds. There seem to be thousands of rumours going around the school as to why I'm here, but everyone seems to know that I'm an Auror.

I'm surprised when Harry comes up to me the day before the feast. "Everyone says you're an Auror."

"I am."

"Neville was saying that you're just as good as Mad-Eye Moody."

I shrug. "I've heard people say that."

"Are you?"

"It's a matter of opinion."

Harry frowns at me. "How come I've never seen you at Headquarters?"

I look over at him and again I'm struck by how much he looks like James. "I've been out of the country for the past ten years. Dumbledore recently asked me to come back. Any more questions?"

Harry looks embarrassed. "No. It's just everyone's been talking about you but no one knows anything."

"It's been a long time since you would have seen my name in the _Prophet_," I say evenly. "So it's understandable that no one knows much about me. I'm not too surprised Neville does though, his parents were fantastic Aurors."

"He was saying…he was saying that you were really good friends with Sirius."

"Yeah. I went to school with Sirius. We were good friends."

"What about now?"

"I don't know anymore," I admitted. "It's been 15 years since I last saw him and a lot has happened since then. However, before you say anything, I know he isn't guilty I've never thought he was which made me a little unpopular with the ministry."

"Did…I know you know Sirius so, err, did you know my dad?"

"Yes," I said softly. "We were good friends in school, the three of us played Quiditch together on the house team that won everything." I pause choosing my next words carefully. "He was a good man your father, a little arrogant I suppose but then so was I. Both of your parents were good people and undeserving of what happened to them. I only wish I'd thought to spend more time with them, I got too wrapped up in becoming and Auror and simply assumed that they'd be there once I had the time. But time doesn't wait for you, things happen first and your powerless to stop them." I study Harry, "The last time I saw you, you were four months old. Since then you've become an extraordinary wizard, Harry, your parents would be very proud."

Harry looks like he can't speak, I know the feeling. Then after a moment he says, "thanks."

I don't need to ask what it's for.

The next time I see Harry is when I'm on my way to the end of year feast. He and Malfoy Jr. have their wands pointed at each other, Malfoy Jr. is flanked by a pair of rather large and stupid looking boys. Before I can say anything Snivellus voice booms across the hall;

"Potter for the third time this week what do you think you are doing."

Harry looks furiously at him. "Practising my hexing ability."

I hold back a snort of laughter, now that was a comeback worthy of James.

"10 points from Griffendor Mr. Potter." Snivellus sneered.

"Interesting how you seem to forget that a member of your own house is equally guilty," I say jumping down the last few stairs and walking over to stand to the left of Harry and slightly behind him – where I'd always stood when James was hexing Snivellus.

"Seeing as you are not a teacher in this school you don't have any authority over house points," Snivellus sneers though from the way he twitched it's obvious he recognised my position next to Harry.

"Until next September," I say enjoying the look of shock on Snivellus' face. "So there is no need for you to apply for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position this year."

Snivellus looked furious.

"Come with me Mr. Potter, we are both missing at the end of year feast."

Harry grinned and stuck his wand in his pocket before following me into the great hall.

'Unfortunately', I reflect as I take a seat at the head table, 'with Snivellus in the Order as well I will probably be seeing a lot more of him'. I don't like the thought.

Two days later I am following Dumbledore into Headquarters partially dreading being reunited with Sirius. We go into the kitchen where we're greeted by Molly Wesley. She and Dumbledore walk out talking in low voices leaving me in the room with Remus.

"Hey," I say feeling awkward. "Long time no see."

He smiles and gives me a hug. "You're all Sirius has talked about since coming back from the ministry."

As if on cue Sirius walks into the room. I'm surprised how much the past fifteen years has changed him, his once handsome features have been dulled by his stay in Azkaban, and he's pale from all he time he's spent indoors. He's also slouching, Sirius _never_ slouched, if anything he always had a bit of a strut to his walk. He looks up and sees me for the first time.

"Hey, Sirius," I say to break the silence.

"Ruth, when did you get here?"

"About five minutes ago."

A long silence falls between us.

"Well this will never do," Remus says suddenly making me jump. I'd forgotten he was there. "For two people who wont shut up about one another when the other persons not there you seem to be at a loss for conversation."

Sirius scuffles his feet on the floor. "I didn't know. I just…just figured you didn't care anymore being an Auror and all."

"What does being an Auror have to do with anything?" I ask.

"Well…I figured…I mean you work for the Ministry so…I just thought you think I was guilty."

I snort. "Did you not think I knew you better then that?"

Sirius looks at the floor.

Remus sighs. "Listen Padfoot, in the time you were in prison Ruth's become just about the best Auror we have, in fact people were comparing her to Mad-Eye Moody. Now Ruth can correct me if I'm wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if the Ministry has been bombarding her with letters ever since your escape to come and track you down."

I nod and he continues;

"Point being she's here, she saved your life a week ago obviously she doesn't think you're guilty. Actually if my memory serves correctly she got in a lot of trouble at the ministry trying to convince them that you were innocent after you were arrested."

"I almost lost my job for that," I mutter. "The only reason I didn't was Mad-Eye vouched for me which got me out of trouble as long as I kept my mouth shut."

"Sorry," Sirius mumbles.

I sigh. "Actually I would have thought the same if our positions were reversed."

"Now would you kiss and make up?" say Remus.

I look around for something to throw at him and settle on a spoon that's sitting in the sink. He ducks and it bounces harmlessly off the wall above his head.

Sirius laughs walking over to stand beside me.

I give him a quick kiss.

"Jezz, I help out and get stuff thrown at me. Last time I try to help you guys." Remus grumbles good-naturedly.

"Don't worry," I say. "We love you too."

"If this is love, I don't know how much more of it I can take."

I'm about to reply when who should walk into the room but Snivellus.

"Well, well," he sneers. "I see it hardly took any time for you to get back together. Though I thought an Auror would prefer someone who wasn't a coward."

"Say that again, Snivellus," Sirius snarls drawing his wand. "I dare you."

Snivellus draws his own wand about to curse Sirius but I'm faster.

I send him flying upwards so he smashes his head on the doorframe, which makes and odd echoing sound throughout the house and causes him to drop his wand. As hits the ground in a heap Sirius yells;

"Impedimenta."

Then Dumbledore appears in the doorway. "What is going on?"

I've never seen Dumbledore angry before and frankly I never want to see him angry again.

"He started it," Sirius says sullenly. "He provoked us."

"That is no reason for you to let loose your juvenile temper." Dumbledore says sternly. "I expected better from you, Ruth."

I think it would have been nicer if he'd hit me.

Snivellus craws across the floor and retrieves his wand then uses a chair to pull himself to his feet. It would have been funny if Dumbledore hadn't been standing there glaring at us.

I put my wand away and look over at Remus who's intently studying the ceiling.

"I think it's best that you shake hands for a truce," Dumbledore says.

Shake hands with Snivellus? No thanks. Unfortunately that had been an order. Grimacing I hold out my hand as soon as our hands touch I feel a jolt run up my arm and look over at Dumbledore to see he has his wand out. Undoubtedly if we tried to hex one another again something would happen to make us regret it. 'Nice,' I think grimly 'though' I reflect as the same thing happens to Sirius (Snivellus has been hit twice) 'I do have to complement Dumbledore on his ingenuity'.

_A/N: okay, I made up the bit about the hand shake, no idea if it's possible but hey if it moves the plot along…_


	7. Dumbledore, Fudge, Snivellus and Gen

Chapter 7: Dumbledore, Fudge, Snivellus and Gen

Dumbledore pulls me aside after dinner that night, I'm not sure what to expect after what happened with Snivellus earlier.

"Now the ministry has acknowledged that Voldemort has returned it is important that we get Sirius freed of the charges against him."

I grimace, "you remember what I already said about the possibility of that happening."

"Something about death eaters deflecting to our side when that happens. I feel it is important to remind you that one has already deflected to our side."

I groan. "Snivellus doesn't count."

"From this point on you will call him either Severus or Snape, do I make myself clear."

I wince, I've just made Dumbledore angry again. "Clear as crystal."

"Good. And that goes for Mr. Black as well, I'm sure you'll make sure he does so."

"Yes sir." I say quietly. Only Dumbledore has the ability to make me feel like I've done something horrifically wrong. Even in school, teachers had trouble doing it, and it drove my parents mad that they couldn't make me take a guilt trip so that I did what they wanted.

"Now I'm putting you in charge of the case to free Sirius…"

"Fudge hates me," I interrupt him. "Just in case you've forgotten."

"Yet he sent you letters requesting your help everyday since Sirius' escape."

"He hates you and yet he's often sent letters requesting your help," I bluntly remind him.

Dumbledore smiles. "You may find that now Fudge has been so horrifically wrong about Voldemort that he will do most things to keep himself in favour with the public."

"Then freeing someone who is known as a mass murderer would be like asking him to announce he's a death eater."

"Possibly." Dumbledore agrees. "But I'm sure you can find a way to convince him. Now I must be off."

And with that he sweeps from the room leaving me with what looks like an impossible mission.

The next evening I'm sitting in a chair outside of Fudges office waiting for him to finish the appointment ahead of me so that I can go in.

A witch walks out of his office and I stand up.

"I believe Dumbledore has the next appointment," Fudge says stiffly.

"I'm here in his place," I reply trying to keep the smallest amount of emotion in my voice as possible.

Fudge twitches. "Very well."

We go into his office and I close the door behind me before taking a seat across from him.

"Well," says Fudge sounding impatient.

"I'm here about Sirius Black." Before Fudge can say anything I continue. "It's time that the charges were dropped against him."

"Are you mad!" Fudge splutters.

"I'm saner then you are," I reply coldly. "Sirius was one of the people who helped repel Voldmorts attack on the ministry, as I'm sure you saw, so it is only just that you drop the charges against him."

"I…I can't do that," Fudge shrieks. "Can you imagine the uproar from the public if I were to pardon a mass murderer!"

"Except he's not a murderer," I say trying hard to keep my voice even so that Fudge doesn't know how close I am to loosing my temper.

"But…that…the public doesn't know…it would be to hard to explain. No it can't be done."

"It can and it will," I say icily, Fudge's glass of water has started to tremble slightly. "If you are worried about the public then by all means arrange a trial where his innocence can be proven."

"A re-trial…"

"He never had a trail in the first place so therefore it is impossible for there to be a re-trial," I interrupt in a snappish tone, the glass of water on Fudge's desk is shaking now.

"Fine," Fudge snaps. "I will contact you with a date for the _trial_ later."

"You will have the date set by seven o'clock tomorrow night if you don't want both Dumbledore and I in your office tomorrow night at eight," I hold my breath hoping that he doesn't call me bluff.

"Fine," Fudge snaps. "Now if you don't mind I have other things to tend to."

I rise, give him and ironic bow, and leave.

Arriving back at 12 Grimmald Place I storm in the front door and run straight into Snivellus who is on his way out. With a crash we both fall to the floor.

The curtains on the wall fly open and a too familiar witch starts screaming;

"YOU CURSED MUDBLOOD FILTH BRINGING SHAME TO THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS,"

I attempt to stun the portrait but the witch continues screaming.

"HOW DARE YOU LAY FOOT IN THIS HOUSE HOLD IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU MY SON WOULD STILL BE ALIVE."

"Actually," I mutter. "I had nothing to do with Regulus' death, though I wish I did." Going over to the curtains I attempt to pull them closed, but they refuse to close she continues screaming.

Snivellus laughs at my efforts.

"You feel like helping," I snap.

"It's more fun to watch your pathetic struggling," he replies.

I almost go for my wand then I remember what Dumbledore did and punch him instead.

With a scream of pain he stumbles backwards blood spurting from his nose.

I go back to the portrait and a moment later Remus and Sirius arrive and help me pull the curtains closed and the house falls silent once more. Panting we make our way to the kitchen.

Proffesor McGonagall, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and two twin red-headed boys who I assume to be Ron's brothers are already in the kitchen. To my surprise so is Gen.

"What happened to you?" Gen asks. It takes me a moment to realise she's talking to Snivellus who walked in afterwards and not to me.

"Ruth punched me," he says attempting to use his hand to stop his nose from bleeding.

Gen pulls out her wand and mutters something and his nose stops bleeding. Then she turns to me, "for a respected Auror you seem to have a very quick temper."

"Hello to you too," I snap. "You know for a best friend you can be overly critical. But for your information there are very few people that I loose my temper on that quickly."

"I'm not surprised Dumbledore took away your ability to hex him," she snaps back. "Though I doubt he thought you'd hurt him muggle dulling."

"Yeah well it's easy to make someone's nose bleed." I reply. "And his is a rather large target." I then turn on my heel and storm from the room.

Everyone but Gen, McGonagall and Snivellus follow me.

"What?" I ask looking at them over my shoulder as I walk up the stairs.

"You punched Snape in the face?" says one of the twins.

"Obviously."

"You are our new hero," says the other twin.

I give them an incredulous look.

"How'd it go with Fudge?" Sirius asks as we go into one of the large sitting rooms.

I make a face. "It could have been worse. He wouldn't give you an outright pardon but he said he'd give you a trial. He's sending the date of it by owl by tomorrow evening."

"You think he actually will?" Remus asks.

I take my cloak off and throw it over the back of a chair before collapsing onto a couch. "I told him if he didn't then Dumbledore and I would be in his office to have a talk with him."

"Would you really?" Harry asks sitting down across from me.

"I would, I can't speak for Dumbledore though."

"But weren't you worried he'd know you were bluffing?" asks Hermione.

"A little. But Fudge knows better then to think I'm bluffing, there have been too many times before when I haven't."

"So nothing's decided then?" Sirius says looking concerned.

"Relax," I tell him. "The trial shouldn't be any problem."

Sirius sits down beside me looking anything but relaxed.

"So who are you two?" I ask gesturing to the twins.

"I'm Fred, he's George. We own a joke shop called Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes."

"We're semi responsible for all the trouble Umbridge had," George adds.

I grin and nudge Sirius. "Well there's the people who took aver as chief trouble makers from you and James."

"I thought that was you."

"Not to much. Gen wasn't interested in any rule breaking and it's not half as fun on your own."

"You ever seen the muraders map?" Fred asks leaning forward.

Sirius snorts. "We made the muraders map. I'm Padfoot, James was Prongs, Remus here is Moony, and Peter was Wormtail."

The conversation quickly turns into a comparison of all the trouble us and the Weasley twins managed to get into at Hogwarts. It last until Mrs. Weasley calls us for dinner.

"You know," says George. "It figures that the year we leave we get a cool defence against the dark arts teacher."

"Yeah," says Fred. "I'd give anything to see what happens between Snape and her next year. You better give us weekly reports little bro."

"I don't know about weekly," Ron replies. "But I'll try."

_A/N: okay I'm done with hurting Snape, don't tell me he doesn't deserve it (cause I'm not listening). _


	8. A Solution to Our Problems Unfortunately

Chapter 8: A Solution to Our Problems (Unfortunately)

I walk into the kitchen and take a seat at the table. Gen walks in and sits down across from me.

"Hey, how are you?"

I look at her suspiciously. "Are you just pretending that we didn't meet earlier?"

"Some times I think you need an attitude adjustment. A bunch of it comes from hanging out with James and him," she says nodding a Sirius.

"You know," I say trying not to get angry. "For a best friend sometimes you really suck."

"You need to concentrate your temper on the death eaters."

"Yeah well everyone knows Snivellus is one. He's got the friggin' dark mark burnt into his arm." I go to take a swig of my drink but stop with the cup halfway to my mouth as a foolproof way to free Sirius explodes into my brain.

"He _was _a death eater, you know that and…what Ruth?" Gen stops in mid angry retort seeing my change in expression.

Smiling I put my cup down. "I have a foolproof way we can win Sirius' case. All the death eaters have the dark mark but he doesn't therefore he can't be a death eater."

"All the captured death eaters escaped from Azkaban three days ago," Remus reminds me.

"Maybe so but everybody knows Snivellus was a death eater, he was one of the few to get a trial and was only let go because Dumbledore proved he'd been a spy for us. So all we have to do is get him to come with us on the day of the trial."

"Has it occurred to you," says Gen. "That he wouldn't do _anything _for Sirius or you."

"Yeah, but you're friends with him. You could talk him into it."

"No."

"What!" I splutter seeing my plan disaggregating before my eyes. "Why not?"

"You'll have to ask him. I'm sure if you were nice he'd do it."

I sit there at loss for word, be nice to Snivellus!?!

"It won't kill you," Gen says smiling. "That goes for you too, Sirius."

I slump back in my chair appetite lost. The problem is there is no other way. We have no captured death eaters and words can be twisted. "I guess," I mumble. "There's really no other option."

Gen smiles.

"But after the trial's over I'm not promising anything."

Fudge's owl arrives the next afternoon. The trial is at eight o'clock in the evening in two days. Now if only Sniv…Snape ( I have to start thinking of him as Snape now so I don't call him Snivellus when I see him) would show up so I can talk to him. The problem is he's on some kind of mission for the Order right now so there's no knowing when he'll get back.

The days pass by and the closer it gets to the time of the trial the more nervous I get. I've been planning what I'm going to say, but I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that it wont be enough.

It's impossible to eat at dinner. Not when I know that in a couple hours time Sirius could be sentenced to the Dementor's kiss.

I'm not the only one who can't eat. Sirius hasn't even come down to dinner and Remus and Harry have, like me, barely touched their food.

Dinner ends just after seven – no one had eaten much – and I go up to see Sirius. As I'm half way up the stairs Dumbledore walks in followed by none other then Severus Snape. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see either of them in my life.

"Well?" Dumbledore says to me.

"Sirius' trial is tonight at eight."

Dumbledore frowns. "They wouldn't give him an pardon."

"Not without the trail."

Snape has slunk off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Hey, err…Snape," I call after him. "Can I have a word with you."

He looks at me suspiciously then nods slowly.

I take a deep breath. "For Sirius's trial we were planning to…err, well we figured that since all the death eaters have the dark mark," Snape's left arm twitches. "And he doesn't we could prove he was innocent by showing them he doesn't have the mark. Problem is we don't have a death eater so…"

"No," he snaps cutting me off.

"Severus," Dumbledore says gently.

"No Dumbledore, I refuse. They can't make me go in there and show it to the whole ministry just to free _him_."

I feel like the wind has just been knocked out of me.

"You can, and you will." Says Dumbledore. "A man's life is on the line. It is time for you to lay old hatred aside."

There is a long silence.

"Fine," Snape snarls. "But never again Dumbledore."

"Now that's settled I suggest you get mister Black because it is time to leave," Dumbledore says looking at me.

I nod and dash up the stairs. "Sirius. Hey Sirius, it's time to go."

"It's no use." He's sitting in the dark.

"It'll be fine. Dumbledore's here and he's getting Snape to come."

Sirius looks up, with a bit of hope on his face at the sound of Dumbledore's name.

"In a couple hours you'll be free," I say. "I promise."

Slowly he gets up and follows me downstairs.

_A/N: big long conclusion next chapter, includes the reason why Fudge and Ruth hate one another for all you people who were wondering._


	9. Trials and Old Grudges

Chapter 9: Trials and Old Grudges 

We arrive at the ministry and make our way to the courtroom, I can feel sweat running down the back of my neck and hope my earlier words to Sirius weren't just false hopes.

Fudge is already there when we arrive and the rest of Wizengamot was slowly filling their seats. Dumbledore strode up and took his seat, I was surprised at the amount of panic I felt as soon as he had left my side. I'd been depending on him, I'm an Auror, I don't know how to fight courtroom battles.

"Let us start then," said Fudge once the last member of Wizengamot had taken their seat. "Hearing for Sirius Black, charges murder and a member of…you know who's death eaters. Interrogators…"

I didn't listen to the whole list instead I looked at Sirius who had taken a seat beside me and was looking more then a little sick. I wanted to tell him that it would be alright but I couldn't make the words come out. I glanced over my shoulder at Snape who was standing in the back corner leaning against the wall a shadow was across his face so I couldn't tell what expression he was wearing.

Fudge finished his list and Dumbledore said. "Witness' for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Ruth Audrey Dawson and Severus Snape."

Fudge looked at him and grimaced. "Yes of course."

Dumbledore signalled Snape to sit beside me. Snape looked just as thrilled as Sirius did to be here.

"Now," said Fudge looking at Sirius. "You murdered Peter Petegrew and blew up a street killing 12 muggles with one curse."

"No," Sirius replies bluntly.

The witches and wizards in the Wizengamot mutter amongst themselves.

A witch to the right of Fudge leans in and mutters something to him.

"The chair recognises Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister," says Fudge dully.

I feel a flash of hatred towards her.

"Now correct me if I'm wrong," she says in her annoying high-pitched voice. "But you were the Potters secret keeper, were you not."

"No." says Sirius.

There is more muttering from the Wizengamot.

"At your last trial Dumbledore testified that you had been the Potters secret keeper and therefore the only one who could have sold them out to you know who. Later when you were confronted by Peter Petigrew you brutally murdered him in front of a street full of witnesses."

"Except," I say bluntly. "Peter Petigrew is not dead. He was the Potter secret keeper, they changed at the last moment thinking that Sirius was too obvious a choice. Unfortunately Petigrew was already in the service of Lord Voledmort" (the Wizengamot flinches unanimously at the sound of his name). "therefore Petigrew told the Potters location to Voldemort" (the Wizengamot flinches again). "Then later he faked his own death by blowing up the street and transforming into a rat. Petigrew is actually an illegal Animagus."

Fudge's face has gone purple. "I see no proof of any of this. As far as I know it is just some cock and bull story you have invented to free an old boy friend of yours."

"It is time, Cornelius," says Dumbledore. "For you to but aside old conflicts and to seek out the truth."

"You originally testified against Black," Fudge spits.

"That was before I had been told the entire story."

Fudge snorts. "Of course, you always stand behind her, after all she was your choice."

"Stop harping on old and insignificant conflicts," I snap. "And do what's right for once."

"You were saved from loosing your position as an Auror fifteen years ago by Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody, there is nothing to save that position now. If you keep it up you will be accompanying Black to Azkaban."

I rise to my feet shaking with rage, the ink bottle on the desk in front of the young scribe with red hair is also shaking.

Dumbledore shoots me a warning look and says. "Cornelius the Dementors no longer reside in Azkban but are instead in the service of Voldemort" (the Wizengamot flinches for a third time). "If you were to send Sirius and Ruth there you would loose to valuable assets to our side because as soon as Voldemort" (more flinching from the Wizengamot) "learned they were there he would send the Dementors there to kill them."

Fudge is now a deep shade of purple. "I see no evidence that Black is innocent, Dumbledore. So far I have heard an interesting tale but there is no proof that Peter Petigrew is alive or an Animagus. So far this has proven just to be another cock and bull tail that you and Dawson have concocted to cause trouble when we could be dealing with more important things."

Suddenly Snape is on his feet and striding towards Fudge. "You see that," he snarls pulling up the sleeve on his left arm. Fudge jumps and so do many members of the Wizengamot including the scribe who starts so fiercely he knocks over the ink bottle which pours all over his notes. Something tells me he had once been a student of Snapes.

"All death eaters have it. He burns it into the skin on your left forearm the moment we enter His service and it is impossible to remove. If you would like to check Black you would find he doesn't have the mark which means he couldn't have been in His service, ever."

Slowly Sirius pulls up the sleeve on his left arm to show that it is indeed free of the dark mark.

How's that for proof, I feel like screaming at Fudge but manage to restrain myself.

There's a lot of muttering amongst the Wizengamot finally Fudge says;

"All in favour of clearing him of all charges?"

Almost every wizard or witch raises their hand.

"All in favour of conviction?"

Fudge raises his hand, as does Umbridge and three or four others.

Fudge's expression sours. "Cleared of all charges."

I resist the urge to cheer but instead turn and leave the courtroom, Sirius, and Snape following. Once out in the hall with a closed door between me and the Wizengamot I jump into the air and cheer before hugging Sirius who laughs.

Dumbledore comes out to join us with a piece of parchment in hand. "Here is your official pardon Sirius. There will be an article declaring you a free man in the _Prophet_ tomorrow. Now before we leave we must go register you as an Animagus so that Fudge has no other reason to try to but you in Azkaban."

As we head towards the department for Animagus registration I turn to Snape. "Thanks."

He looks slightly startled. "Wasn't that the point of bringing me here?"

"Still though, thanks."

Sirius turns to me, "What did Fudge mean when he said to Dumbeldore 'she was your choice'?"

I make a face. "When we needed a new minister a lot of people were behind Dumbeldore. However Dumbledore wasn't interested in running but instead of throwing his support behind one of the candidates he said that he thought I would make a good minister. I never wanted anything to do with it and repeatedly said so. Fudge has never forgotten, that's why he hates me so much, I never thought he'd make a good minister but unfortunately there wasn't really a better option."

"You could have run," Dumbledore says mildly.

"So could have you," I counter. "You would have done a great job."

"But then I could not remain Headmaster of Hogwarts which I think is much more important."

I decide not to argue.

It takes just over half and hour to get Sirius registered as a Animagus, what Dumbeldore did so that it didn't get back to Fudge that Sirius had been an illegal Animagus all these years I have no idea.

We arrive back at Headquarters just after nine and go in quietly so as not to disturb the portrait of Mrs. Black. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus are sitting on the stairs at the other end of the hall waiting.

"Cleared of all charges," Sirius announces upon seeing them.

Harry lets out a happy cheer which wakes up Mrs. Black.

"SHUT UP!" Sirius and I both yell at her.

Dumbledore waves his wand and the curtains close quieting her screams.

"I'd like know how you do that," Remus says as we go into the kitchen.

Dumbledore simply smiles.

"Well what happened?" Mad-Eye asks as we walk into the kitchen.

"Cleared," says Sirius. "Completely cleared."

"Knew you would be," says Kingsley gruffly.

Fred, George, Ginny and their older brother Bill are dancing around in a circle chanting, "He go off, he got off, he got off…"

"Well this calls for a celebration," says Remus smiling and tossing Sirius, Harry and I butter beers.

"Cheers," says Sirius holding up his butter beer.

Gen comes in and walks over to us. "Congrats Sirius."

"Thanks," Sirius relies with a smile.

Standing there with Gen, Sirius and Remus I find myself remembering all of the similar situations back in school. Harry standing next to Sirius where James always stood only serves as a reminder of all those fun times. I swallow my mouthful of butter beer along with the lump in my throat, memories aren't supposed to hurt this much.

I spend the rest of the summer on missions for the Order of such confidential nature that if I told you about them I'd have to kill you. The time that I'm not away on missions I spend with Remus preparing lessons for next year.

Now I'm sitting at my desk in my office at Hogwarts. I can remember having to sit on the other side of teachers desks so many times for detentions that it makes me smile. I arrived yesterday and spend the day getting my office and classroom set up for the year.

Over all my office is fairly plain, a few dark detectors sit on a table under the window along and a Canadian flag – similar to the one that always hung above my bed when I was at a student – hangs on the wall. There are only two pictures in the entire room and they're sitting on my desk. One is of Sirius and I from this summer and the other one is from about twenty years ago just before the summer after fifth year, all summer I kept meaning to show it to Harry. In the picture (from left to right) is Gen, me, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus, and Peter. There are times that I wish I could make Peter vanish from the picture but he helps serve as a reminder that sometimes the person that you find the lest threatening can really be the biggest threat of all.

I twist the key hanging on the chain around my neck, the one that Sirius gave me all those years ago and now with him cleared of charges it's safe for me to wear it again. I can't help but wonder what this coming year at Hogwarts is going to bring.

I hear the noise of students arriving and stand up throwing my cloak on as I head down to the great hall for the Sorting and the feast.

One thing that I can be almost assured of this year is that I will run into the three things I hate the most: Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy and Valentines Day (you thought I was going to say Snape didn't you).

_A/N: that's it hope you enjoyed it. I'm considering doing a sequel so if your interested give me a shout if not I'll go on to other things. Oh and tell me if there's any spelling or grammer mistakes in this story, my beta's on holiday._


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